Friday, May 10, 2013

Don't Back Up, Don't Back Down, Full Throttle, Wide Open!

May 5, 2013

Aaah freak man, I miss country. DAD you’ve made me
so proud! Country music is where it’s at! haha Elder Chandler asked about my
pillow case and I told him they were all country songs and he didn’t know some
of them because they are so new. Like “Cruise”. Love that song. hahaha He had
me sing it. Oh it felt good to sing that song and then he’s like, “Dang man I
like that! So now, mom, I decided I’m dropping school and everything when I get
back and pursuing country singing. hahahaha jk I wish. One day, in the next
life maybe when they have celestial country music. Oh how sick would that be?!

So this week was pretty dang good. We did work.
Love doing work and seeing small successes. It’s awesome, and then the Lord
will bless you with electricity for the whole week and it’s awesome! Thats when
you know you’ve got the good life in Angola. Did you see the pics of my house?
Dang nice huh? When there is energia. So Tuesday, I was like “Man we are going
to work our butts off this week. Boom! Blessings more than we could receive. Free
rides from people, people asking us about the church because they had been in
another country and wanted to go back and ah! We got so many new investigators
this week! That day was just a blessing. Oh funny story; I went to the atm to
get some money for the two weeks and I pulled out 180 dollars, which is 18,000
kwanzas, and it gave it to me in a huge stack of 200 kwanza bills! I was
ticked! It is such a big stack! I was like are you kidding me!!!! But, oh well,
good for taxis.

So we are teaching a total of 3 families now! Like,
legit married in the government. It’s sick! Arnaldo is cool. We set a baptismal
date with him and his wife! His wife is pregnant. But I’ll probably be gone
before they get baptized. I’m probably going to leave Benfica here next week.
I’m sad about it. Aah, I just feel like I put my heart and soul into growing
this area and now that it is a million times better, I have to leave! gosh dang
it! Oh well, as long as the fruit is harvested by someone it’s all the same. Our
area is so legit now, like we have 3 people planning to get baptized and tons
more investigators with huge potential! And 3 families! Idk, for me, I just see
everyone like they can receive a testimony and get baptized. Some other elders
get discouraged and are really negative when an investigator has a strong
opinion about this or that, or they have a problem with one of the
commandments. Oh ye of little faith! With God anything is possible! Those
people, if they are willing to turn their lives around, will be the strongest
members! The zone leaders are having training on being positive, which I am
very grateful for. I’ve been talking to them a lot about it and they’ve been
asking me for ideas and what not on how to present it. But yeah. Hope, as I
learned from a conference talk is ... ah shoot, I forgot all of them. But one
thing it said is that “Hope contains patient perseverance and optimism.” Sooo
true!

So President Thompson’s release date got moved up.
He leaves in two weeks now. Sad. But life goes on. So President Kretly will
come for a little while and then we have like 2 and a half weeks alone till
President Merril gets here. We’re gonna die!!! haaha No were not. Quite
honestly, a missionary shouldn’t need to be watched over. We should all be
responsible and good and what not. I kinda had a moment this week were I was
dealing with an investigator with some problems and I just realized..” I know
why I’m here in Angola.” Like, I know why I’m specifically here in Angola.” It
was awesome. Then I made a new resolution that I’m just gonna be the freaking
best missionary I can because I had a moment of just reflecting on my mission.
I’ve felt like I’ve done a good job but I feel like it’s been a (excuse the
french) half _$$ job. Like, I can do so much more. So, that’s kinda the reason
for the subject of this email. (No literally look up at the subject. Awesome
line ya? Don’t back up, don’t back down; full throttle, wide open….Jason Aldean
baby!)

So, unfortunately, Rita’s daughters did not get
baptized this week. I was really really sad. But, they will be in two weeks
they said. Freak! I want to go back to that area! I’ve been calling Rita a
couple nights a week, just to encourage and inspire. She’s falling backwards
cause she’s not reading the Book of Mormon! People!!!! I don’t know how many
times the prophets and the missionaries have to say it but read the Book of
Mormon daily!!!!! You have no idea how much it will bless your life! I was a
witness at the baptisms and that was pretty cool. Man, the spirit was so strong
and I just couldn’t help but have this huge smile the whole time. We had 15
baptisms. The work is going! After it, they had a testimony meeting and so many
talked about how they got their answer in their dreams. Dreams are such a HUGE
part of African culture. HUGE. Sometimes they go over board. haha but its all
good.

So this week this one random dude called us. Elder
Davis had given him a pamphlet like way back in January. Just goes to show that
no effort is wasted. Anyway, we went over and he wanted to know about the ten
commandments so we went over them. And he was like, okay, adultery. What is
that? So we explained. Then he looks at us wide eyed and he goes “Is that a
sin?!” And we’re like, “yes it is.” and hahahaaha he got the funniest look on
his face like he had just been condemned to hell. haaha wonder what he has been
doing....haha. That’s a big problem in Angola. Guys have like 3,4 women and
families with them. ah! Causes problemas!

So no, mom, I never learned what sickness I had. It
was just a virus sister Thompson said. So, we are skyping/ facetiming on
Monday at 16 my time, or 4 o’clock. So that’s 8 in the morning your time. Okay!
Be ready! I’m way excited! I was looking at my calendar this week and all of
the sudden I just missed Babes really bad. Babesy, I love you!

So, I’ve been reading the Book of Mormon a lot
lately; in English and Portuguese. I’m almost done in English for the 3rd time
on my mission and I’m in Mosiah in Portuguese. Portuguese is fun. King Benjiman
is awesome!! I love that guy. Just laying down the beef! haha our branch
president who is the coolest biggest deepest voiced black man you’ll ever know
says beef when he talks about the scriptures it’s awesome. haha. Dang guys, I
love this branch! I don’t want to leave! Maybe I’ll stay. Who knows.

Okay, well, I love you guys to death! I gotta go!

(You get tired and you don’t show it, dig a little
deeper when you think you can’t dig no more, that’s the only way I know.)